Job 9

Notes

Immediately Job replied, 2. I know indeed that God is righteous, and that he ordinarily punishes the wicked and favours the godly. But what frail man can, in your sense, be just before God? 3. If God please to call him to a strict account he cannot answer for one of a thousand of his thoughts, words, or actions. 4. And while God is infinitely righteous, his knowledge, wisdom, and power are so unbounded, that it is impossible for any to harden himself in rebellion against him and peacefully prosper. 5-9. Against him who can in a moment remove and overturn the largest mountains—who can shake the earth out of its place, and shatter its rocky foundations—who can at pleasure forbid the rising of the sun or shining of the stars—who at pleasure spreads out or dispels the clouds, and triumphantly treads upon the swelling waves of the sea, all being subject to his will—who makes and governs all the starry constellations which appear in the north or south parts of our world. 10. And does works unsearchably marvellous and unnumbered. 11. In his providential dispensations he can pass before me and attack me; can quickly pass by and rush upon me, and continually set his works before me: and yet I cannot perceive him nor understand them. 12. Behold! he can suddenly or forcibly snatch away whatever a man has, and none can resist his infinite power, or make him to restore it, or even bring him to account for his conduct. 13. If he, the object of our adoration, continue the displays of his terrible majesty and almighty wrath in the infliction of just punishments, the most proud, powerful, and fierce helpers and avengers must yield to his influence, and confess their inability to relieve us. 14. How then can I, a poor, weak, unbefriended wretch, answer him in judgment; or choose, give sense to, and order my words in debating with him! 15. Though my case were ever so just, nothing would become me but to make humble supplications to my tremendous and omniscient Judge who contends with me. 16. And if he had graciously accepted my supplication, and even promised to grant the request of such a poor and wretched creature as I am, I could not believe it. 17. Since, without my being conscious of any uncommon wickedness, he breaks me to pieces by a fiery whirlwind of his judgments, and multiplies my painful afflictions. 18. He allows me no interval from trouble, no ease under it, but fills me with the most tormenting troubles and bitter griefs. 19. Should I be inclined to dispute with him by force, lo! he is infinitely more powerful than I. Should I be inclined to cite him at law, who, higher than he, could be our judge, and appoint us a time or place of hearing? 20. Though I am guilty of no allowed crime, yet his majesty and holiness would make me condemn myself: and though I be no hypocrite, my attempts to justify myself before him would prove me perverse. 21. Though I were ever so perfect I durst not, on my own consciousness, debate the matter with him, nor insist that my soul were really such in his view; but I would undervalue, disapprove, and loathe my practice before his infinite holiness; and would rather lose my life than dare to contend with one of boundless majesty. 22. All that I have affirmed and insist upon is this important truth, that God, in sovereignty, fearfully afflicts the righteous as well as the wicked. 23. When the most fearful calamities fall upon and suddenly kill men, he often, with seeming pleasure, for their trial grievously afflicts the most innocent. 24. Who but he prospers the wicked, and gives the earth to be possessed by wicked men, and ruled by blind judges, who, from ignorance, misinformation, bribery, or partiality, pass unrighteous decisions? 25, 26. I myself am an instance of his sovereign management. My days of prosperity have quickly passed away without substantial comfort; and my natural life, amidst inexpressible misery, posts on to an end, more swiftly than the boat of paper reeds is hurried down the rapid stream, or the hungry eagle alights upon his prey. 27, 28. If I attempt to forget my calamities, lay aside my mournful looks, pluck up my spirits, and cause my face to shine with a smile, my tormenting pains and sorrows terrify my mind: and I find by experience that thou, O God, wilt not remove my trouble as if I were innocent. 29. I see that I shall be held and punished as one that is wicked—why then do I thus fatigue myself in vindicating my innocency? 30. Though I could wash myself by the most effectual vindications, and thoroughly purge my practice with purity itself, 31. Thou, O infinitely holy God, wouldst plunge me into depths of noisome afflictions and of filthy ulcers; and my discovered wickedness and manifest troubles should hold me forth as quite abominable: 32. For God is so infinitely above me that I cannot, dare not, enter into a debate or plea with him. 33. Neither, indeed, is any umpire or arbiter to be found who could order us to silence, or oblige us both to stand to his award. 34, 35. If he would remove from off me this heavy trouble, and not terrify me with the dread of his power and majesty, then would I freely speak, without any slavish fear of him, in my own vindication; for I am not such a hypocrite as you allege. But, alas! sorrows and fears oppress my spirit.

Ver. 1. [Job admits the truth of the principle enunciated at the close of Bildad's address; namely, that God's acts and judgments are always right and just. He goes on to show that it would be impossible for man to dispute this; for if God should even condescend to enter into controversy with man, he would not be able to give him information on one of a thousand subjects that might be brought into discussion. Fear would awe him; his finite and fallible mind would utterly fail before the infinite and infallible Jehovah. To discuss or question God's dealings would therefore be mere presumption. P.]

Ver. 9. [Arcturus—Aben Ezra says it is a northern constellation, composed of seven stars, constituting Ursa Major. Orion—Aben Ezra concludes it to be Antares, a star in the constellation Scorpio. Pleiades, a cluster of stars in the constellation Taurus. Of these some additional remarks will be required on ch. 38. 31 C.]

Ver. 14. [Job's conception of the nature and attributes of God is clear and full. He was totally free from false and imperfect views which we discover even in the most distinguished of heathen philosophers. Here God is represented as a Spirit of infinite wisdom, power, and justice. All things are admitted to be subject to his direct control. The universe which he created he governs. P.]

Ver. 22. [He afflicts and cuts off both good and evil men, therefore outward calamities are no certain indications, as you suppose, of the sufferer's profligacy and of God's displeasure. C.]

Ver. 23. [If the scourge (the wicked oppressor) slay suddenly, the innocent will also be allowed to perish through false witness and unjust judgment, and thus come to the same end as the wicked. C.]

Ver. 24. [Covereth the faces of the judges. Gives up not merely the innocent to trial and condemnation, but righteous judges to have their faces covered; that is, to be themselves tried and condemned for their righteous administration of the law. See Es. 7. 8. C.]

Ver. 26. ['Job gathers images of swiftness from earth (the posts), from water (the light ships of reed or papyrus, such as float swiftly on the Nile), and from the air (the eagle), to describe the rapidity with which his days of happiness have passed away' (Wordsworth). P.]

Ver. 33. [The Hebrew word translated 'daysman' signifies 'one who makes clear,' 'one who arbitrates in a matter. The general sense is plain enough, but the doctrinal point involved is whether Job can have had any reference to Christ, the great Mediator. There is a reading of great importance found in some early MSS. It would convert the clause into a prayer:—'O that there was a daysmen between us!' The latter part of the verse suggests the idea that Job must have formed some conception in his mind of one who having two natures, the divine and human, touches both God and man, and brings them together so as to make an atonement. P.]

Reflections.—O the infinite goodness of God! And what is man, so mean, so sinful, that he should be mindful of him! How incapable of advancing a justifying righteousness before him! Dreadful is the case of those devils and men who harden themselves against him. His excellencies are plainly marked in his works of creation and providence. Happy are they whose God is Jehovah! and inexpressibly miserable his most powerful and proud opposers! In incontestable goodness he often afflicts the righteous and prospers the wicked. And it is hard to complain much of our troubles without mingling somewhat reproachful to God. Let therefore the thoughts of my own meanness, sinfulness, and mortality keep my mind low and silent before him. It is his mercy, not my merits, that must be my only plea. Conceit of my sinless perfection, and of the worth of my righteousness, will but manifest my ignorance of the spirituality of his law and of my own corruption. Let me always stand in awe of him and the power of his wrath. Let me tenderly pity such as are wounded in spirit, and earnestly pray for them, as they can sometimes scarcely pray for themselves. Let me always entertain kind and honourable thoughts of God; as hard thoughts of him are inlets to much sin and sorrow. But above all, let me bless him that Jesus Christ is the Mediator between himself and me, and that my soul is not under extreme anguish and disquiet. And while I walk in the light of the Lord, let me rejoice therein, but rejoice with trembling. Who knows what change a night or a day may bring forth!